The festival’s turn toward faith mirrors that of Tim Metcalfe, a co-owner of the grocery stores that sponsor the event. Last year, he attended Lifest, the large Christian music festival in Oshkosh.

He went thinking he’d pick up some practical tips, like how to configure a sound system and where to park food trucks. Instead — or in addition to — he got religion.

“I think God was always in my heart, but I didn’t have a relationship with my faith,” he said. “I wasn’t attending church. This changed everything for me. It was my moment. Afterward, I drove home and said, ‘What do I do with this?’

As a Christian myself, I have no problem with Bratfest bringing in a religious stage,like all music, some Christian rock I really enjoy and some no so much. What I do not enjoy though is extremists trying to pass themselves off as mainstream under the guise of religion and having public forums to do so. Unfortunately that is what is happening with the newest stage.

Bob Lenz, the founder of Lifest, is among those scheduled to speak at this year’s Brat Fest (5:30 p.m. Saturday). He is a former youth pastor who gives inspirational speeches across the country.

Lenz is closely linked to the “Stork Bus” movement, an effort based in Colorado Springs that parks buses outside abortion clinics and offers free ultrasound images to pregnant women. He just completed a 40-day tour on behalf of Stork Bus in which he spoke at 25 rallies.